260 - What Pharma Wants from CDMOs: Quality, Pricing & Trust | Kaan Kekec

What pharma companies want from CDMOs, and how closely that matches what CDMOs think matters. Recorded at CDMO Live Americas with Kaan Kekec, Partner at Simon-Kucher, on the CDMO Growth Report 2026: why quality ranked first for sponsors while CDMOs emphasized speed, how to validate a value proposition, and pricing challenges for drug delivery devices.

Drawing on research conducted with PharmaSource, Kaan explains the gap between sponsor expectations and supplier perceptions. We discuss why quality needs to be demonstrated throughout a partnership, how companies can validate their value proposition, and what drug delivery device suppliers miss when they don't understand the markets their products ultimately serve.

IN THIS EPISODE

- Why quality ranked first for sponsors while CDMOs placed more weight on speed

- Why your value proposition needs to reflect what customers recognize and value

- How customer interviews and competitor comparisons reveal blind spots

- Why large pharma and small biotech need different conversations

- How access to technical experts can influence customer experience and win rates

- Pricing challenges for drug delivery devices across regions and end markets

- Integrated device manufacturing, fill-finish, and assembly

- Why certifications alone don't tell the whole quality story

- How clearer expectations can improve sponsor-CDMO partnerships

ABOUT KAAN KEKEC

Kaan-Fabian Kekec is a Partner at Simon-Kucher with 15 years of consulting experience helping pharma services and drug delivery companies improve their commercial strategy, pricing, and customer value proposition.

Kaan on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaan-fabian-kekec-3b799632/

CDMO Growth Report 2026 (Simon-Kucher, with PharmaSource):

https://www.simon-kucher.com/en/insights/cdmo-growth-report-2026

Thank you to Luke and the CDMO Live team for the opportunity to record this conversation in person.

https://pharmasource.global/events/cdmo-live-americas/

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Need help with CDMO oversight, quality agreements, or supplier audits on a combination product?

https://letscombinate.com/services/

Free guide: Drug vs. Device Quality comparison

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ABOUT SUBHI SAADEH

Subhi Saadeh is the Founder and Principal of Let's Combinate, a consultant, auditor, and trainer specializing in drug-device combination products, medical devices, and pharmaceutical quality systems. He has held quality and engineering roles at Pfizer, Gilead, and Baxter, with a focus on design controls, supplier quality, inspection readiness, and translating regulatory expectations into practical execution.

Subhi is an ISO 13485 Lead Auditor and an ASQ Certified Quality Auditor and Certified Quality Engineer. He has chaired the Combination Product Working Group for Rx-360, served as International Committee Chair for the Combination Products Coalition (CPC) and as a member of ASTM Committee E55, and served on AAMI's Combination Products Committee.

CONNECT WITH SUBHI

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Discuss a project:

https://calendly.com/letscombinate/quick-chat

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhi-saadeh-1169aa21/

Email:

[email protected]

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